Tiarella cordifolia. 
xe2x80x98Pink Brushesxe2x80x99.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Tiarella plant, botanically known as Tiarella cordifolia and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Pink Brushesxe2x80x99.
The new Tiarella is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Tiarella cultivars having densely foliated plant habit, deeply lobed leaves, and showy and attractive flower and leaf coloration.
The new Tiarella was discovered by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Scottdale, Pa., from seedling progeny from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in May, 1995, of the Tiarella cultivar Braveheart, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Tiarella cultivar Spring Bronze, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Tiarella was selected by the Inventor in May, 1997. The selection of this plant was based on its desirable leaf shape and coloration.
Asexual reproduction of the new Tiarella by cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Scottdale, Pa., since August, 1997, has shown that the unique features of this new Tiarella are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Pink Brushes has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Pink Brushesxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Pink Brushesxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Full and densely foliated; mounded plant habit.
2. Palmately lobed green leaves with dark purple centers that extend along the main veins with development.
3. Numerous light pink showy flowers arranged on dense racemes.
4. Excellent garden performance.
Plants of the new Tiarella differ from plants of the female parent, the cultivar Braveheart, in side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa. in the following characteristics:
1. Leaf surfaces of plants of the new Tiarella have dark purple centers that extend along the main veins whereas leaf surfaces of plants of the cultivar Braveheart have dark purple markings mostly along the main veins.
2. Plants of the new Tiarella have dense racemes whereas plants of the cultivar Braveheart have sparse racemes.
3. Flowers of plants of the new Tiarella are light pink in color whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar Braveheart are white in color.
4. Flowers of plants of the new Tiarella are longer-lasting than flowers of plants of the cultivar Braveheart.
Plants of the new Tiarella differ from plants of the male parent, the cultivar Spring Bronze, in side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa. in the following characteristics:
1. Young leaves of plants of the new Tiarella are green in color whereas young leaves of plants of the cultivar Spring Bronze are bronze in color.
2. Plants of the new Tiarella have dense racemes whereas plants of the cultivar Spring Bronze have sparse racemes.
3. Flowers of plants of the new Tiarella are longer-lasting than flowers of plants of the cultivar Spring Bronze.
Plants of the new Tiarella can be compared to plants of the cultivar Tiger Stripe, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa., plants of the new Tiarella differed from plants of the cultivar Tiger Stripe in the following characteristics:
1. Leaves of plants of the new Tiarella are palmately lobed whereas leaves of plants of the cultivar Tiger Stripe are cordate and not lobed.
2. Leaf surfaces of plants of the new Tiarella have dark purple centers that extend along the main veins whereas leaf surfaces of plants of the cultivar Tiger Stripe have random and variable dark purple markings.
3. Plants of the new Tiarella have dense racemes whereas plants of the cultivar Tiger Stripe have sparse racemes.
4. Flowers of plants of the new Tiarella are longer-lasting than flowers of plants of the cultivar Tiger Stripe.
5. Flowers of plants of the new Tiarella are light pink in color whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar Tiger Stripe are white in color.
Plants of the new Tiarella can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Elizabeth Oliver, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa., plants of the new Tiarella differed from plants of the cultivar Elizabeth Oliver in the following characteristics:
1. Leaves of plants of the new Tiarella are darker green and larger than leaves of plants of the cultivar Elizabeth Olive.
2. Leaf surfaces of plants of the new Tiarella have smaller dark purple areas than leaf surfaces of plants of the cultivar Elizabeth Oliver.
3. Racemes of plants of the new Tiarella are taller than racemes of plants of the cultivar Elizabeth Oliver.